A meeting to help rewrite the story of Bengaluru traffic

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From Davanagere to Denmark, they discuss namma traffic.

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From Shivamogga to Sunnyvale, silk board has a reputation.

But how did we get here?

Could it have been avoided?

We believe so. Unlike any other metro, Bengaluru did not get the benefits of a mass public transport system in all these years.

Bus is our only lifeline carrying nearly 45 lakh passengers every day – with hardly 6500 buses and no attention given to it. We have the highest bus fares in the country!

Metro is being built now and it will take another six years before it connects most of our city.

Our priorities weren’t right. We chose to do all the things the doctor said NO to. We built roads, flyovers, elevated corridors.

Good intentions perhaps but bad outcomes.

We can see it, we can breathe it, we can curse it every day.

The traffic. The pollution.

One is visible. The other is a silent killer.

Therefore we think we need to stand up at least now.
Before more expensive mistakes are made.
Before the air gets even thicker.
We owe it to ourselves to give it a shot.

We must come together and DEMAND public transport. That means massive investment and energy to build it out. That means making the bus go faster. The local trains start running. Footpaths get built. Walk signals get installed. Cycling made safer.

Many people are unaware of the history. Unaware of the data. Unaware that flyovers are not the solution, as history and traffic congestion today shows it.

Here’s ನಮ್ಮ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ಟ್ರಾಫಿಕ್ ಕಥೆ – the story of Bengaluru traffic – and here’s an appeal to everyone of you to join the volunteer meeting on Saturday 5PM at Jain University, Palace Road to discuss what we, the ordinary citizens, of Bengaluru can do about this.